The Weekender Vol. II No. 36

The Chess Plaza Weekender
Sunday, 17 February 2008
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City
Vol. II No. 36

Sadorra on the rise, Gomez on a rollercoaster ride

SINGAPORE-BASED Julio Catalino Sadorra scored his first win after a loss and a draw while former junior champion John Paul Gomez appeared to be on a rollercoaster ride after three rounds of the tough Aeroflot Open in Moscow.

Sadorra enters the fourth round today with 1.5 points and Gomez with 1.0. Both Filipino international masters lost in the first round on Thursday, possibly caused by jetlag as they arrived in the Russian capital just hours before the Aeroflot Open got under way.

Sadorra, a former Philippine youth champion, is the replacement for 14-year-old GM-elect Wesley So, who could not go to Moscow because of his studies as a sophomore at St. Francis of Assisi High School in Bacoor, Cavite.

Four-time national junior champion Gomez, who is La Salle’s brightest varsity star and a UAAP gold medalist, was an 11th-hour replacement for GM Mark Paragua, who could not leave the country because of a previous commitment.

Thus far, Sadorra has had a loss, a draw and a win while Gomez has had a loss, a win and a loss, in that order.

Unfortunately, the databases posted on the official website have no game-scores yet.

It is the first time that the Philippines is represented in the event, one of the most prestigious in the world.

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) under former Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. of Surigao del Sur decided to send two of the country’s leading players for the experience and to give them a chance to earn a GM norm.

Since Pichay took over the NCFP presidency in 2006, the country has produced three new grandmasters—Darwin Laylo, Wesley So and Jayson Gonzales. Strangely enough, this happened within four months.—Marlon Bernardino

Anand, 2 others win in Morelia

Carlsen holds Ivanchuk DEFENDING champion Viswanathan Anand got off to a flying start with a smashing win against Spanish superstar Alexei Shirov in the Morelia Super Tournament in Mexico.

The Indian wizard heads a field of eight of the world’s best and brightest megastars, all rated above 2700, making the event the toughest yet this year with an average rating of 2781.

Former world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria and Peter Leko of Hungary followed suit, outplaying Levon Aronian of Hungary and Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan.

Anand had Black but Topalov and Leko both won with White

The champion opted for the Sicilian Najdorf against Shirov’s 1.e4 and soon took control of the half-open c-file.

Shirov made the strategic error of castling on the Q-side early on in order to step up his own attack on the K-side, forcing Anand to forego castling his monarch.

Just four moves after White’s king had sought sanctuary, Anand sacrificed the exchange, swapping off one of his rooks for a knight.

This shattered White’s fortress and triggered lively exchanges. While earlier condemning Black’s delayed development, Fritz now indicated that White was in great danger.

White’s queen sallied forth in a valiant effort to trap the king and at the same time stop Black’s invasion of his territory via the c-file.

Anand, however, deployed his knights to form the core of His Majesty’s guardsmen and held Shirov’s queen and rooks at bay,

In the meantime, with his king cowering behind his shattered center pawns and knights, Anand managed to penetrate the enemy’s Q-side where Shirov’s monarch was hiding behind a breached wall of white pawns.

Black’s counterattack intensified after one of his knights had surreptitiously left its post and delivered a well-timed check on White’s castled king before returning to its sentry duty.

With perfect timing, Anand then sent his rook to the far side of the board, checking the cornered king. This forced one of White’s rooks to retreat and shield the monarch from enemy fire.

Quickly, Anand then sent his queen up the c-file to combine with its own rook while at the same time threatening to mate White’s king via the long diagonal of dark squares.

Here is the game-score as analyzed by Fritz:

A. Shirov (2739) – V. Anand (2801)
Rd 1, Morelia Super Mexico 2008
Sicilian Najdorf (B96)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nbd7 8.Qf3 8.f5 exf5 9.Nxf5 Qb6 may benefit Black Qc7 9.0–0–0 b5 10.Bd3 Bb7 Black is behind in development, Fritz warns 11.Rhe1 Qb6 12.Nb3 Rc8 13.Qh3 Rxc3! An interesting alternative is 13...Be7!?, says Fritz 14.bxc3 Qc7 15.Kb1 Be7 16.e5 16.Qg3!? must be considered to restore the balance, Fritz notes dxe5 17.f5 Nd5 Fritz warns that 17...Qxc3? leads to nothing: 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Bxb5 Qxh3 20.Bxd7+ Ke7 21.gxh3, and White surges ahead 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 19.fxe6 19.Rd2 e4 20.fxe6 fxe6 would benefit Black fxe6 Better is 19...Nxc3+! 20.Kc1 Nf6! 20.Qg3 Restoring the equilibrium g6 21.Rd2 Rc8 22.Qg5+ Ke8 23.Qg4 23.Qh6!? could be tried, e.g., 23...N7f6 24.Kc1! Nxc3+ 24.Ka1 Bd5 25.Re3 If 25.Qh3 Nc5! Nf6 26.Qh4 Qe7 27.Bf1 Not 27.Qh3 Qb4 28.Rf3, when Black gets a huge advantage Bxb3! 28.cxb3 Nce4! Setting thje stage for a mating attack 29.Rb2??

A blunder in a bad position, says Fritz, citing 29.Qhxe4 Nxe4.
29...Rc1+ 30.Rb1 Qc5! Launching a mating line: 31.Qh3 Qd4+ 32.Rc3 Rxc3 33.Bxb5+ axb5 34.Qxe6+ Kf8 35.Qc8+ Rxc8+ 36.Rb2 Rc1#! 0–1

The Morelia event is the first phase of the transatlantic Linares-Morelia Super Tournament, which will move on to Spain for another struggle with the same combatants in place.

The eight are super GMs Viswanathan Anand (2801), Vassily Ivanchuk (2787) of Ukraine, Veselin Topalov (2769) of Bulgaria, Peter Leko (2755) of Hungary, Teimour Radjabov (2742) of Azerbaijan, Levon Aronian (2741) of Armenia, Alexei Shirov (2739) of Spain, and Magnus Carlsen (2714) of Norway.

Conspicuously absent are former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine.

WESLEY SO ONE OF AWARDEES
Sportswriters honor top sportsmen

THE Philippine Sportswriters Association in collaboration with San Miguel Corporation last night honored the country’s top sportsmen for the year 2007, led by boxer Nonito Donaire Jr. and swimmer Miguel Molina, at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

In chess, the two honorees are Grandmasters Wesley So and Darwin Laylo—So for being the world’s youngest grandmaster and Laylo for being the first Filipino to compete in the World Cup held annually by Fide as part of the championship cycle.

So, 14, is currently the world’s youngest grandmaster and the seventh youngest to earn the coveted chess title—at the age of 14 years, two months and 28 days. He did it in the Prospero Pichay Cup International Open held last December at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Parañaque City.

Laylo, 27, qualified for the World Cup by finishing in seventh place in the Asian Individual Championship held at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City last September.

He is the first Filipino ever to compete in this event, held last November in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia’s famous winter resort in Siberia.

Donaire, 25, captured the International Boxing Fedcration title by knocking out Vic Darchinyan in Connecticut last August.

Molina, 23, grabbed four gold medals in swimming events at the SouthEast Asian Games held last December in Thailand. He was also picked as the SEAG’s “Top Male Athlete.”

PSA president Aldrin Cardona of the Tribune was quoted as saying that the voting was close as the nominees were all deserving of the honors.

Donaire and Molina won in the voting over young Wesley So, popular boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, outstanding swimmer Ronnie Alcano, and golfer Frankie Miñoza.

So, Pacquiao, Alcano, and Miñoza were included among the honorees last night.

Among the sponsors were Shakey’s, the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation, Accel, and Raymundo’s Trophies and Sculpture.

Registration in full swing for Pampanga 2000 Open

REGISTRATION is now in full swing for the much-awaited Pampanga Open Tournament for players rated Elo 2000 and below to be held next month at the Robinson’s Plaza in Angeles City.

Substantial prizes await the winners.

The champion will get P6,000, runner-up P4,000, third P2,000, fourth P1,000, and fifth P800.

They will also get a trophy each.

A special prize of P800 each will go to the top elementary school pupil, top high school and college students, top female player, and top senior player (aged 55 or older).—Marlon Bernardino

MAKINGS OF A CHAMPION
RP boy making waves Down Under

A 10-YEAR-OLD Filipino boy is making waves in Queensland, Australia with his exceptional performance in age-group competitions.

Daniel Lapitan first caught the attention of chess fans on the Gold Coast in the land Down Under last year when at the age of nine he topped a tournament for Under-12Boys in Brisbane.

Now 10, Daniel has taken the second prize in a youth competition, according to sketchy reports from Queensland. His father, Raymundo Lapitan, confirmed this in a recent television interview watched by journalist Ignacio Dee, who tipped off The Weekender.

During the interview, it was mentioned that Daniel now lives in Brisbane and is under the tutelage of a “GM Froelich.”

There are no other grandmasters in Australia besides GMs Ian Rogers, who has retired from active competition because of illness, and Darryl Johansen.

There is no GM Froelich on the rolls of Fide, either. There is, however, a 25-year-old German international master by the name of Peter Froelich but The Weekender has no way of knowing whether IM Froelich has moved on to Australia, which is more than halfway across the globe from Europe.

Daniel played in the Australian Under-12 Open early this month but had only a 50 per cent performance.

Nothing else is known about him and his mentor. It will be highly appreciated if readers here or in Australia can help identify him—where he is from, who his parents are, where he studied while still in the Philippines, and whether his family also lives in Brisbane.

At any rate, The Weekender has found a few games won or lost by Daniel. Here is a beautiful game in which he mates his opponent on the 21st turn.

D. Lapitan – J. Stevens
Australian Junior U12 Open, Cranbrook 2008
Sicilian Scheveningen (B80)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be3 Be7 7.Be2 0–0 8.Qd2 b6 9.Rd1 Bb7 10.f3 Na6 10...a6 and Black can hope to survive 11.Bxa6 Widening his lead Bxa6 12.Nc6 Qd7 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7 14.Qxd6 Rfe8 14...Qxd6!? is interesting but it could help White, says Fritz, e.g., 15.Rxd6 Rfd8 16.Rxd8+ Rxd8, and White is still way ahead 15.Qxe7 Rxe7 16.e5 Nh5? 16...Nd5 was best to reduce White’s lead: 17.Nxd5 exd5 17.g4! Bb7 18.Kf2 18.Rf1 was better, Fritz suggests Rc8 18...f6 also benefits White 19.gxh5 Rc4 19...f6 is better but it can’t stop White, e.g., 20.exf6 Rf7 20.Rd8+ Re8 21.Rxe8#! 1-0

In the second round, however, Daniel lost with Black, but recovered quickly and won his third game.

D. Lapitan – D. Siow-Lee
Rd 3, Giuoco Pianissimo, Hungarian Defense (C50)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Nc3 0–0 6.Be3 Bxe3 7.fxe3 d6 8.0–0 Bg4 8...Na5 9.Bb3 equalizes 9.h3 Bd7 10.Nd5 10.a3 Ne7 also leads to equality Nxd5 11.Bxd5 Re8 12.c3 Ne7 Best was 12...Qe7!, says Fritz 13.Bb3 c6?? 13...Nc6² was playable 14.Ng5! Threatening a mating attack starting with 15.Bxf7+! d5 15.Qh5! h6 16.Nxf7 Qb6 17.d4 17.Nxh6+ seems even better: 17...gxh6 18.Qxh6 Nf5 19.exf5! c5 17...Rf8 was more precise: 18.Qxe5 Nf5 19.exd5, and White is winning 18.Nxe5 Be6 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.e4 20.Qg6 makes it even easier for White, Fritz notes Nf6 21.Bxe6+ 21.Rxf6! is decisive:21...Bxb3 22.Rxb6 axb6 23.Kh2! Qxe6 22.Qf5 Rad8 23.Ng4 23.Rad1 should be tried Qxf5 24.exf5 Nxg4 25.hxg4 cxd4 26.cxd4 Rxd4 27.f6 Not 27.Rad1 Rxg4 28.Rd7 Re2! Rf8 Missing 27...gxf6! 28.Rxf6 Re2 29.Raf1, with equality 28.Rac1 28.fxg7!? may be tried gxf6 29.Rc7 Rxg4 30.Rxb7 Ra4 31.a3 Rf7 32.Rb8+ Kg7 33.Kh2 Kg6 34.Kh3 Kg5??

The fatal error. 34…Ra5 would have equalized. 35.Rg8+! It’s mate in two: 35….Rg7 36.Rxg7+ Kh5 37.Rf5#! 1–0

Nat’l Youth, Juniors set

THE NCFP has scheduled the National Youth (Age Group) Championships for April 1-6 and the National Juniors for April 9-14, Patrick Lee of the secretariat said.

AFTER RECORD STREAK OF SEVEN WINS IN MOSCOW OPEN…
A heartbreaking loss for Inarkiev

THIS year’s Moscow Open, held from February 2 to 10, ended with a marathon game that broke the heart of the loser, 22-year-old Russian Grandmaster Ernesto Inarkiev, who had just set a record of seven straight wins for the event.

Playing Black against GM Artyom Timofeev, also 22, Inarkiev did not give up without a fight and their final-round game lasted for 117 moves, in itself also a record for the Moscow Open.

Timofeev cornered the first prize with 7.5 points.

What made it heartbreaking for Inarkiev was the fact that he needed only a draw to top the nine-round Swiss tournament. Moreover, his last-round loss sent him spinning down to seventh place on tiebreak.

He, however, shared equally with eight others the pooled second to 10th prizes. The final posting on the official website did not specify the amount.

A.Timofeev (2664) – E. Inarkiev (2681) [C92]
Rd 9, Fourth Moscow Open, Russia 2008
Closed Ruy Lopez, Karpov and Flohr-Zaitsev Variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.c3 Na5 11.Bc2 c5 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 Be7 16.Ne3 g6 17.Nh2 Nc6 18.Bb3 Nh7 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 20.Neg4 Kg7 21.Qd2 Ng8 22.Ne3 Ngf6 23.Rad1 h5 23...Ng5 24.Qe2 would help White 24.Nf3 Bc8 25.Nf1 Ra7 26.Bc2 d5 27.exd5 Qxd5 28.Bb3 Qd6 29.d4 exd4 30.Rxe8 Nxe8 31.cxd4 c4 32.Bc2 Nhf6 32...Re7 33.Ne3 also favors White 33.Ne5 Re7 34.Qg5 Nh7 35.Qg3 Qf6 36.Ne3 h4 37.Qh2 Qd6 If 37...Nc7 38.Rd2! 38.Qf4 Qf6 39.Qh2 39.Qxf6+ Nhxf6 40.Nf3 Bb7 41.Nxh4 Nd6 may favor Black Qd6 40.b3 If 40.Nf3 Qxh2+ 41.Kxh2 Nd6 and White has the edge c3 41.Qf4 Qf6 42.Qe4 Bb7 43.Qd3 b4 44.N3g4 Qf4 45.Qc4 Nhf6 46.Qxb4 Nxg4 46...Nd5 may be better, e.g., 47.Qc5 Nef6 47.Nxg4 Not 47.hxg4?? Rxe5 48.Qc4 Qxg4, and Black is way ahead Rc7 48.Qa5 Nf6 48...f5was better but still White would sprint ahead: 49.Ne3 Nf6 49.Nxf6 Kxf6 50.d5 Qe5 51.Qb6+ Best was 51.Qa4!, e.g., 51…Rc5 52.Qxh4+ Kg7 53.d6! Kg7 52.Qd4!

Forcing a queen swap, or a mating attack down the long diagonal.

52…Qxd4 53.Rxd4 Kf6 54.d6 Rd7 55.Rc4 Rxd6 56.Rxc3 Rd2 57.Kf1 Rd7 58.Rc4 Kg5 59.Rg4+ Kh5 60.a4 f5 61.Rc4 Bd5 62.Rc3 Kg5 63.g3 hxg3 64.fxg3 Bf7 64...Kf6 65.Bd3 a5 66.Kf2 minimizes White’s lead 65.Ke2 Rb7 66.Kd2 Bd5 67.Bd1 Rb4 67...a5 68.h4+ Kf6 69.Bf3 Bxf3 70.Rxf3 68.Rc5 If 68.Rd3 Bf7 Bxb3 69.Kc3 Bxa4 70.h4+ Kh6 71.Kxb4 Bxd1 72.Kc3 Bf3 73.Kd2 Kh5 74.Ke3 Kg4 75.Kf2 Be4 76.Rc4 g5 77.hxg5 Kxg5 78.Rc7 Fritz prefers what it calls White’s bext move, 78.Rc8! Kf6?? Weak because it gives the opponent new chances; best, according to Fritz, is 78...f4!, with equality 79.Ra7 79.Ke3 Kg5 gives White winning chances Bd3 79...Kg5! 80.Ke2 a5 should minimize White’s lead 80.Ke3! White surges on again Bf1 81.Kf4 Ke6 82.Ra8 Bb5 83.Rb8 Bd3 84.Rb3 84.Rc8 Kd5 gives White a lift Bc4 85.Re3+! Kd6? 85...Kf6 was a bit better but inadequate 86.Kxf5 Kc5 86...Bg8 is no salvation 87.Re8 87.Rc3 is best and White can celebrate victory: 87...a5 88.g4 a5 88.Ra8 Kb4 89.Ke5 a4 90.Kd4 Threatening …Kb1+ for a mating attack 90...Be2 91.Ke3 Bb5 91...Bg4 92.Rg8 Be6 93.Re8 and White’s lead is reduced 92.Kd2! a3 93.Kc2 Bd7 94.Kb1 Be6 95.Re8 Bd7 96.Re4+ Kc5 97.Ka2 Kd5 98.Re3 Kd4 99.Re7 Bf5 100.Kxa3 Kd5 101.Kb4 Be6 102.Kc3 Ke5 102...Kd6 (Desperation) 103.Re8 Kd5, but White is still a mile ahead 103.Kd3 Kf6 104.Ra7 Better was 104.Rxe6+ Kxe6 105.Ke4! Kg5 105.Ke3 Kf5 106.Kf3 Bd5+ 107.Kf2 Be6 108.Ra5+ Kg4 109.Rc5 Bb3 110.Re5 Bg8 111.Re4+ Kg5 112.g4 Kh4 113.Ke3 113.Re7! and White can already relax, Fritz notes, citing 113...Bb3 114.Rg7 Bd5 113...Kg5 114.Rd4 Be6 115.Kf3 Kh4 116.Kf4 Bxg4 116...Kh3 117.g5 Kg2 118.Rd2+ Kh1 119.Kg3 Bg4 120.Rc2 Bd1 121.Rc1 Kg1 122.Rxd1#! 117.Rd8!

Mate is still a long way off, but Black has seen the light and topples his hapless king: 117…Bh5 118.Rh8 Kh3 119.Rxh5+ Kg2 120.Rg5+ Kf2 121.Re5 Kg2 122.Re2+ Kf1 123.Kf3Kg1 124.Re1+ Kh2 125.Rd1 Kh3 126.Rh1#! 1–0

Timofeev started with a bang, winning his first game with Black in a sparkling duel of wits.

Here is his instructive game against an 18-year-old highly rated Russian national master, Artem Chernobay.

A. Chernobay (2401) – A. Timofeev (2664)
Rd 1, Sicilian Scheveningen (B83)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 9.f4 e5 10.Nf5 10.Nb3 is worthy of consideration, says Fritz Bxf5 The best 11.exf5 exf4 12.Rxf4 d5 13.Kh1 Re8 14.Bg1 Bb4 15.Bf3 Increasing the pressure on the d5 isolani. Not 15.Nb5 a6 16.c3 axb5 17.cxb4 Qd6! Qd6 16.Rh4 Qe7 16...Bxc3 17.bxc3 Ne5 18.c4 Nxf3 19.Qxf3 could favor White 17.g3 17.Nxd5! would allow White to play on, e.g., 17...Nxd5 18.Re4! Bxc3 18.bxc3 Rad8 19.Bg2 h6 20.Qd3 b6 21.a4 Ne4!

An ideal square for the knight, says Fritz.

22.c4 Qf6 23.Rf1 Fritz suggests 23.Qa3!? as an interesting alternative: 23...Nc3 24.a5 bxa5 25.cxd5 Nxd5 26.Rc4! Ne5 24.Qd4 Nxc4 25.Qxf6 Nxf6 25...gxf6?! 26.Rxh6 Kg7 27.Rh4, with equality 26.Bd4 Ne3 27.Bxf6 gxf6 28.Rf2 Rc8 Missing 28...Nxc2! 29.h3 Ne3 30.Rxh6, and Black’s lead soars 29.Rd4 Nxc2!
0–1

Timofeev followed this up with a powerful performance in the second round, a brilliant and instructive win with White against a 20-year-old Ukrainian international master.

A. Timofeev (2664) – K. Tarlev (2492)
Rd 2, Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch Variation (E24)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 Nc6 5.e4 e5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.Be3 Nd7 9.Bd3 Na5 Not 9...Qh4+ 10.g3 Qf6 11.Be2! 10.f4 b6 11.Nf3 Ba6 12.Qe2 Better than 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Qe7, with equality Qe7 13.0–0 0–0–0 14.c5 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 dxc5 16.Qa6+ Kb8 17.fxe5 f6 18.Bf4 Rc8 19.Rae1 fxe5 20.Bxe5 cxd4 21.cxd4 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Not 22.dxe5 Qc5+ 23.Rf2 Qxa3!, and Black is ahead Qd6 23.Qd3 Rhe8 24.Nf3 Nc6 25.Qc3 Rcd8 26.d5 Ne5 27.Nd4 c6 28.Nf5 28.Nxc6+ Nxc6 29.dxc6 Re7 gives White the edge Qd7 29.Rd1 29.dxc6!? Qc7 30.Re3 is also playable g6 30.Ne3 cxd5 31.Nxd5! Qd6 32.h3 32.Rf6 Qxf6 33.Qc7+ Ka8 34.Nxf6 Rxd1+ 35.Kf2 Rc1 36.Qxc1 Nd3+ 37.Ke3 Nxc1 38.Nxe8 should boost White’s advantage Rc8 33.Qg3 Nc4 34.Qxd6+ Nxd6 35.Nxb6!

Possibly not expected by Black, judging by his responses.

35…Rcd8 36.Nd5 Rxe4 37.Rb1+ Kc8 38.Nf6 Re7 39.Rfc1+ Rc7 40.Nxh7 Nc4 41.Ng5 Rd6 42.Rb3 Ne5 43.Re1 Rd5 44.Ne6 Rc4 45.Rg3 Rc6 46.Nf4! Rd4 Not 46...Ra5 because of 47.h4! 47.Rxe5 Rxf4 48.Re7 Ra4 49.Rg7 Raa6 50.Rf3 Threatening 51.Rf8#! Rc7 51.Rg8+ Black surrenders. If 51…Kb7 52.Rb3+ Rb6 53.Rxb6+ axb6 54.Rxg6! 1–0

Just half a point behind Timofeev at the head of a batch of eight runners-up was another 22-year-old Russian GM, Alexander Riazantsev, who mated his opponent, a 44-year-old Russian GM, in the second round.

A. Riazantsev (2628) – V. Yandemirov (2461)
Rd 2, Exchange Gruenfeld, Classical Line (D86)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 0–0 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.0–0 Na5 10.Bd3 b6 11.Be3 Qd7 12.Rc1 Bb7 13.Qd2 Rfe8 14.Bh6 Bh8 15.e5 c5 16.Qg5 cxd4 17.cxd4 e6 17...Rac8 18.Rfd1 should equalize 18.h4 Nc6 19.Rfd1 Ne7 Not 19...Nxd4 20.Nxd4 Qxd4 21.Bxg6 Qxd1+ 22.Rxd1 fxg6 23.Rd4!, and White would have tremendous advantage 20.h5 Rac8 21.Rxc8 Bxc8 22.Nf4 Qxd4 23.Bc2 Threatening the queen: if it moves away from the file, 24 Qxe7 would clear the way for 25.Rd8+ and mate next Qc5 24.hxg6 Mate is in the air Qxc2 25.Rd8 Rxd8 26.g7! Rd1+? 26...Qd1+ is better but not enough 27.Kh2 Nf5 28.gxh8=Q+ Kxh8 29.Nh5 f6 30.Qxf6+ Kg8 31.Qf8#

There are no ifs or buts about a checkmate! 1–0

In the second round, Inarkiev bounced back and emerged with a highly instructive win with White against a 65-year-old compatriot, IM Vladimir Onoprienko.

E. Inarkiev (2681) – V. Onoprienko (2318)
Rd 2, Slav Defense (D15)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 4...dxc4 5.e3 b5 6.a4 Nd5 would have equalized 5.c5 b6 6.cxb6 Nbd7 6...Qxb6 7.Na4 Qc7 8.Bd2 should equalize 7.e3 Qxb6 8.Bd3 g6 9.b3 Bg7 10.Ba3 If 10.Qc2 0–0 Qa5 11.Qc1 e5 12.dxe5 12.0–0 e4 13.Bxe4 dxe4 14.Nxe4 Kd8 would have given White a clear advantage Ng4 Equalizing finally 13.0–0 13.Be2 Ngxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 keeps the balance Ngxe5 13...Ndxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.h3 Qxc3 16.hxg4 keeps the balance 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Na4 Qc7 Not 15...Bxa1 16.Qxc6 Bb7 17.Qxb7!, and White is a mile ahead 16.f4 Bd6 16...Bxa1! would keep Black in the game: 17.Qxa1 f6!, with equality 17.e4 White is now ahead 0–0 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 19.e5 Qc7 20.Rf2 Rb8 21.Qc3 a5 22.Rc1 Bb7 23.Be2 c5 23...Rfd8 24.Bg4 would minimize White’s lead 24.Bg4! White surges ahead Rbc8? 24...c4 was better but White would still be way ahead, Fritz notes 25.e6 d4 26.Qb2 Nf6 27.exf7+ Qxf7 28.Bxc8 Rxc8 29.Nxc5 Rd8 Not 29...Ng4 30.Nxb7 Rxc1+ 31.Qxc1 Nxf2 32.Kxf2 Qxb7 33.Qc4+ Kg7 34.Qxd4+ Kh6, and Black would have tremendous advantage 30.Rd2 d3 30...Qd5 would have given Black a small chance 31.Nxb7!

The end: if 31…Qxb7 32.Qxf6 Qa7+ 33.Kf1! 1–0

Here is another instructive game, won by 25-year-old Pavel Smirnov, one of Russia’s up-and-coming stars.

P. Smirnov (2599) – V. Kuznetsov (2449)
Rd 2, Sicilian, Rossolimo Variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.0–0 Bd7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.c3 a6 7.Ba4 e5 8.h3 Be7 9.d4 b5 10.Bc2 0–0 11.d5 Na5 12.Nbd2 c4 13.b4 cxb3 14.axb3 Qc7 15.b4 Nc4 16.Nxc4 Qxc4 17.Ra3 Rfc8 18.Bd3 Qc7 19.Qe2 h6 20.Be3 a5 21.Nd2 axb4 22.Rxa8 Rxa8 23.cxb4 Qc3 24.Rb1 Ra1 24...Ra3 25.Bxb5 Bxb5 would have equalized 25.Qd1 Not 25.Bxb5 Rxb1+ 26.Nxb1 Qxb4! Rxb1 26.Qxb1 Nh5 27.Qb3 Qc1+ 28.Nf1 Qa1 29.Qc2 Bd8? 29...f5 would have equalized 30.Qe2!

The winning stroke, attacking both the b5-pawn and the knight on h5

30…Nf4 31.Bxf4 exf4 32.Bxb5 Qa7 32...f3!? was better 33.Bxd7 Qxd7 34.Qa6 Bh4 34...Qe7 35.b5 would boost White’s lead 35.Qc6 35.b5! was best Qe7 36.Qc8+ Qd8 37.Qxd8+ Bxd8 38.Nd2 Kf8 39.Nc4 Ke7 40.Kf1 1–0

Third runner-up Zahar Efimenko, also 22, appears to have the clearest style such that most of his wins, particularly with White, are very instructive. Here is a sample of his winning ways:

Z. Efimenko (2638) – E. Hossain (2522)
Rd 3. Sicilian Dragon, Yugoslav Attack (B77)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3² Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0–0 8.Bb3 d6 9.f3 Bd7 10.Qd2 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Better than 11.Qxd4 Ng4 12.Qd3 Nxe3 13.Qxe3 b5!, and Black gets ahead b5 12.a4 bxa4 13.Bxa4 Bxa4 14.Rxa4 Qb8 15.b3 e6 16.0–0 Rc8 17.Rfa1 Ne8 18.Kh1 18.Rxa7? gains nothing Bxd4 19.Qxd4 If 19.Rxd4 Rc6 Rc5 19...Qc7! 20.Rc4 Qb6 should restore the balance 20.b4 Rc7 21.b5 Rc5 22.R4a3 Qc7 Fritz suggests 22...Qc8 as “an interesting alternative” 23.b6! Staying ahead Qc6 24.bxa7 Not 24.Rxa7?! Rb8 25.Na4 Rxc2! Nc7 25.h3 e5 26.Qe3 Kg7 27.Na4 27.Rb1!? is livelier but White stays ahead, e.g., 27…Nb5 28.Nxb5 Rxb5 29.Rxb5 Qxb5, and White is still way ahead Rb5 28.Nc3 Rc5 29.Rb3 h6 30.Raa3 Nb5 31.Nxb5 Rxb5 32.Kh2 Rb7 33.Rxb7 Qxb7 34.c4 Qb4 35.Rb3 Qa5 36.Rb7 Qd8?? A terrible mistake, but the game is lost in any case: 36...Qa6 37.Re7 Kf6, and White is still winning 37.Qd2 37.c5! makes it even easier for White: 37...dxc5 38.Qxc5 Qf6 38.Rd7 38.Kg3!, and White can already relax: 38...Qg5+ 39.Qxg5! Qh4 38...Qf4+ cannot undo what has already been done: 39.Qxf4 exf4 40.c5 dxc5 41.e5! 39.Kh1 39.c5 might be the shorter path, e.g., 39...dxc5 40.Qd5 Qf4+ 41.Kg1 Rxa7 42.Rxa7 h5 40.Qd5 40.Qxd6 and White wins: 40...Qf4 41.Qb8 Qc1+ 42.Kh2 Qf4+ 43.Kg1 Rxa7 44.Qxa7 Qc1+ 45.Kf2 Qxc4 46.Qa1! Qe1+ 41.Kh2!

Evading the perpetual check and at the same time threatening Qxf7+!

41…Rf8?? 42.Qxd6! 1–0

I have selected three gems that caught my eye because they are instructive, witty and very entertaining. Of course, each one of us has his own taste but because I have been writing about chess for over 30 years, I believe my taste is almost the same as that of most of my readers.

One of the most spirited was the fight between two grandmasters—Inarkiev, 22, and Murtas Kazhgaleyev, 34, of Kazakhstan. As in many instances in the past, youth again prevailed over experience.

E. Inarkiev (2681) – M. Kazhgaleyev (2594)
Rd 6, Ruy Lopez, Steinitz-type lines (C79)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0–0 Bd7 6.c3 g6 7.d4 Bg7 8.Re1 b5 9.Bb3 Nf6 10.Nbd2 0–0 11.h3 Re8 12.a3 h6 13.Bc2 Nh5 14.Nf1 Nf4 Not 14...Na5 because of 15.d5! 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Qd2 g5 17.Rad1 Qe7 18.Qd3 Kf8 19.Bb3 Rad8 20.Ba2 Qf6 21.N3h2 h5 22.Qf3 Qh6 23.g4 Fritz suggests 23.Ne3! hxg4 24.Nxg4 Qg6 25.Nfh2 Ne7 26.Qg2 Bc6 27.d5 Bd7 28.Nf3 Qh5 29.e5 dxe5 30.Ngxe5 Bxe5 31.Nxe5 Bxh3 32.Qh1 32.Qf3! Qxf3 33.Nxf3! Nf5 33.Rd3? Weak. 33.Nf3 was better g4 34.Qe4 Not 34.Rxh3 gxh3 35.Qf3 Qh8! f6 34...f3 seems even better: 35.Qf4 f6!, and Black is ahead 35.d6 35.Qxf4 fxe5 36.Rxe5 Rxe5 37.Qxe5 Rd6 would help Black Rxe5 36.dxc7 Rde8 37.Qb4+ Ne7 38.Red1 Not 38.Rxe5 Qxe5 39.Qd4 Qe1+!, and Black is ahead Bg2! 39.Kxg2 f3+ 40.Kg3 Rf5 Missing 40...Qh3+, which leads to mate: 41.Kf4 Qh2+ 42.Kxg4 Qg2+ 43.Kf4 Rf5+ 44.Ke4 Qg4+ 45.Ke3 Qg5+ 46.Kd4 Qf4#! 41.Qxe7+!!

41…Kxe7 Threatening 42…Qh3#! Not 41...Rxe7+ because of 42.c8=Q! 42.Rd7+ Kf8 43.Rh1! Qxh1 44.Rf7+ Kg8 45.Re7+ Kh8?? A blunder in a bad position 46.Rxe8+ Kg7 Qh3 47.Rg8+ Kh7 48.Rh8+!! A double attack that clinches the point Kxh8 49.c8=Q+ Kg7 50.Qg8+!Black resigns: 50…Kh6 51.Qf8+ Kh7 52.Bg8+ Kg6 53.Bf7+ Kh7 54.Qg8+ Kh6 55.Qg6#! 1–0

The surprise shot in this game comes at the very end, catching Black flatfooted.

A. Aleksandrov (2618) – V. Zolotukhin (2330)
Rd 6, King’s Indian, Averbakh Varition (E74)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0–0 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5 h6 8.Bf4 e6 8...Qa5!? should be examined more closely, says Fritz: 9.Bd2 Qb6! 9.dxe6 Bxe6 10.Qd2 Nc6 11.Bxh6 Nd4 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Nf3 Nxe2 14.Qxe2 Qa5 15.Ng5 d5 16.cxd5 Bxd5 17.0–0 Bc6 18.f4 c4 19.e5 Qc5+ 20.Rf2 Nd5 21.f5 21.Nce4 Qe3 22.Qg4 is better Nf4 22.Qd2 Nd3?? 23.f6+! Kg8 24.Nge4!

Clearing the path to h6 for the queen: if 24…Kh7 25.Nxc5! Nxc5 26.Rf4!, and wins. 1–0

In the following game, Vietnamese GM Le Quang Liem (Black) upsets Russian superstar Sergey Tiviakov with mating threats

S. Tiviakov (2649) - Le Quang Liem (2540)
Rd 6, Sicilian Defense (B22)

1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.g3 d6 5.exd6 e6 6.Bg2 Bxd6 7.Nf3 0–0 8.d4 Nc6 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.0–0 b5 11.b4 Bd6 12.a4 bxa4 13.Rxa4 Bb7 14.Ng5 Be7 15.Qh5 Threatening Qxh7#! h6 16.Ne4 Qc7 17.Re1 Rad8 17...a5 18.b5 Ne5 19.Qe2 should equalize 18.Nc5 Ba8 19.Bxh6 Nf6 20.Qh3 20.Qg5 keeps White in the game: 20...Ne8 21.Qg4 Bxc5 22.bxc5, with equal chances gxh6 21.Qxh6 Ng4 22.Nxe6 Forking queen and rook and at the same time threatening Qg7#! Qe5! 23.Qc1 Qh8! Threatening …Qxh2# 24.h3 fxe6 25.Rxe6?? White crumbles under pressure Rxf2 26.Rg6+ Kf7 27.Rxg4 Rxg2+!

28.Kf1 Not 28.Kxg2+ because of 28...Ne5! Ke8! 0–1

SPARKLING NOTEBOOM MEMORIAL
Li Shilong shines in Leidin

BOSNIAN superstar Predrag Nikolic may have won the Daniel Noteboom Memorial with former Dutch champion John van der Wiel as his first runner-up on tiebreak, but it was second runner-up Chinese GM Li Shilong who produced the finest gems there.

The two rivals who had a disparity of 155 Elo points between them finished with 5.5 points each from six rounds in the tournament held in the Dutch city of Leidin from February 1 to 3 in memory of the prodigy who died at the age of 21 on January 12, 1932 soon after his greatest triumph at the 1931-32 Hastings..

Noteboom, who was born on February 26, 1910, caught the world’s attention with a sparkling performance in the 1930 Olympiad in Hamburg, Germany.

He caught pneumonia while playing in Hastings and died soon after that, on January 12, 1932.

Here is his famous win with Black over Salomon Flohr, the great Czech grandmaster who also became a star of the Soviet Union after its annexation of Czechoslovakia:

S. Flohr – D. Noteboom
3rd Olympiad, Hamburg 1930
Colle System (D05)

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nbd2 Nf6 4.e3 Nbd7 5.Bd3 Be7 6.0–0 b6 7.Ne5 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Nd7 9.f4 Nc5 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Be2 a6 12.c4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 g6 14.Qc2 Qc8 15.b4 Ba4 16.Qc3 Nd7 17.Ne4 Qb7 18.Nf6+ Nxf6 19.exf6 Bd6 20.Bb2 Rf8 21.Rfc1 Kd7 22.Rab1 Bc6 23.Qd2 Be4 24.Ra1 Rfd8 25.Be5 Ke8 26.Qb2 Bxe5 27.fxe5 Rd7 28.Qf2 Rad8 29.Qg3 Rd2 30.Bf1 Rb2 31.Rd1 Rdd2 32.Rxd2 Rxd2 33.Rc1 Qd5 34.Qh4 h5 35.Qg5 c6 36.Qh6 Qxa2 37.Qg5 Qb2 38.Re1 Qxb4 39.Ra1 a5 40.Qf4 a4 41.Rc1 b5 42.Rc4 bxc4 43.Qxe4 Qc5 44.Bxc4 a3 45.Bf1 Rd1!

Pinning the bishop and controlling the back rank. Fritz sees mate in the air: 46.Qf3 Qc1 47.Qe2 a2 48.h3 a1Q 49.Kh2 Qxe5+ 50.g3 Rxf1 51.Qg2 Qeb2 52.g4 Qe5+ 53.Qg3 Qd2#! 0–1

Former Manila visitor GM Li won the third prize on tiebreak over three others, namely, Dutch Fide Master Martin Roobot and GMs Alexandre Dgebuadze of Belgium and Bogdan Lalic of Croatia.

Li Shilong could have captured the plum had he not lost to Nikolic in the fifth round. In the five other games, he played fine chess, winning almost always in brilliant fashion.

Here is Li’s opening salvo with White:

Li Shilong (2502) – A. Oberhofer
Rd 1, Noteboom Mem, A Leiden 2008
Queen’s Gambit Declined (D61)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0–0 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Qc2 c5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Rd1 Qa5 10.Bd3 h6 11.Bh4 Re8 12.0–0 c4 13.Bf5 Nf8 Fritz prefers the equalizing 13...Bb4!? 14.Bxf6± Bxf6 15.Bxc8 Raxc8 16.Qf5 Rcd8 17.Nd2 17.e4 Nh7 gives White the edge Nh7 17...b6! was best 18.Nxc4! Keeping the lead Qb4 Of course not 18...dxc4 because of 19.Qxa5 19.Na3 Qxb2 19...a6! should be tried to get a clear edge 20.Nab5 g6 21.Qd3 Qb4 22.Nc7 Rf8 23.N7xd5 Qd6 24.e4 Bg7 25.f4 Rfe8 26.e5 Qc6 27.Ne3 Qb6 28.Nc4 Qb4 Not 28...Qc6 29.Ne4! 29.Rb1 Qe7 30.Nb5 30.Ne4 makes it even easier for White Rb8? Best was 30...a6 31.Nbd6 b5 32.Nxe8 bxc4 33.Qxc4! 31.Nbd6 Red8 32.f5 b5 33.f6 33.Nxb5 keeps an even firmer grip, says Fritz: 33...gxf5 34.Nbd6 Rxb1 35.Qxb1 Bxf6?! 34.exf6 Qd7 35.Nxf7!

The fatal blow, and Black resigns, for if 35…Qxd4+ 36.Qxd4 Rxd4 37.Nxh6+ Kf8 38.Ne5! 1–0

The 30-year-old Chinese star, who ranks only No. 17 in his country but was among the Top 10 at the Philippine Open in April 2007 held at Subic Bay, has been on an international tour this year. His performance in Leidin should give his 2502 rating a big boost.

Playing Black in the second round, he even mated his opponent, a 16-year-old Dutch player, Christov Kleijn, two moves after coolly sacrificing his queen.

C. Kleijn (2235) - Li Shilong (2502)
Rd 2, Sicilian Scheveningen (B84)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.Be2 Qc7 8.a4 b6 9.f4 Bb7 10.Bf3 Nbd7 11.Nb3 Be7 12.0–0 0–0 13.g4 13.Qe1 d5 leads to equality h6 13...Nc5 14.Nxc5 dxc5 15.Qe2 would have equalized 14.h4 Nh7 15.g5 hxg5 16.hxg5 e5 17.Nd5 Fritz suggests 17.g6! as an interesting option Bxd5! 18.Qxd5 exf4 18...Qxc2? leads to nothing, says Fritz: 19.Rac1 Qxb2 20.Rf2! 19.Bxf4 Ne5 20.Bh5 Nxg5 20...Bxg5 may be more precise, e.g. 21.Bxe5 Be3+ 22.Kh1 dxe5 23.Rxf7 Rxf7 24.Bxf7+ Qxf7 25.Qxa8+ Nf8 26.Qc8 Qf3+!, and Black surges on 21.Bxe5? 21.Nd4 was better dxe5 Black is now way ahead 22.Bxf7+? Kh7 23.Be6 Rad8 More accurate than 23...Qxc2?!, e.g., 24.Qxe5 Bf6 25.Qf4 Nxe6 26.Qf5+ g6 27.Qxe6, and Black sprints away 24.Qc4 24.Rxf8 Rxd5 25.Rc8 Qb7 26.Bf5+ g6 27.exd5 gxf5 would benefit Black Nxe6 25.Qxe6 Rd6 26.Qh3+ Rh6 27.Qd3 Bc5+ 28.Nxc5 Qxc5+ 29.Kg2 Rg6+ 30.Kh3 Rh8 31.Qb3 31.Qc4 would lead to mate:31…Qe3+ 32.Kh2 Qh6#! Qe3+!!

A powerful sacrifice that leads to a mate in two.

32.Qxe3 Kg8+! 33.Qh6 Rhxh6#! 0–1

Three rounds later, however, GM Li faltered and, despite playing White, lost to the eventual champion, veteran GM Nickolic of Bosnia/Herzegovina, formerly provinces of the old Yugoslavia, which was torn apart by civil strife marked by the massacre of hundreds of civilians in the 1990s.

Had he been able to hold him to a draw, the Chinese GM was a shoo-in for the plum and the Bosnian would not have topped the tournament. Li would have been the one to contest the top slot with GM van der Wiel.

Li Shilong (2502) – P. Nikolic (2665)
Rd 5, Queen’s Indian (E12)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Be7 7.e3 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Nxe4 Bxe4 10.Be2 0–0 11.0–0 d6 12.Nd2 Bb7 13.Bf3 c5 14.Qa4 Rc8 15.Rfd1 cxd4 16.exd4 Bxf3 17.Nxf3 Qd7 18.Qb3 Nc6 19.Qd3 d5 20.b3 Rc7 21.Rac1 Rac8 22.h3 dxc4 23.Rxc4 Qd6 24.Rdc1 Nb4 24...b5 could benefit White, e.g., 25.R4c3 Nb4 26.Rxc7 Rxc7 27.Qf1! 25.Qe2 Restoring the balance Nd5 26.Ne5 Nf4 27.Qe4 27.Qf3!? should not be overlooked, says Fritz: 27...Rxc4 28.Nxc4, with equality Rxc4 28.Rxc4 Rxc4 29.Nxc4 Qxd4! 30.Qxd4 Ne2+!

A royal fork..

31.Kf1 Nxd4 32.Ke1 Kf8 33.Kd2 Ke7 34.Kd3 Nc6 35.a3 e5 36.b4 Ke6 37.g4 g6 38.f3 b5 39.Nd2 f5 40.gxf5+ Kxf5 41.Ke3 Nd4 42.f4? Fritz suggests 42.Nb1, but Black would still be ahead Nc2+ 43.Kd3 Nxa3 44.fxe5 Kxe5 45.Nf3+ Kf4 46.Ke2 46.Nd4 does not improve anything e.g., 46...Kg3 47.h4 Kxh4, and Black surges ahead Nc2 47.Kf2 Nxb4! 0–1

Here’s another game that ended in mate, won by England-based Croatian GM Bogdan Lalic:

B. Lalic (2507) – K. Hagendijk
Rd 5, Caro-Kann (B10)

1.c4 c6 2.e4 e5 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 Qc7 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.Be3 Ne7 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Bc5 f6 Prophylaxis for g5 10.Bd6 Qd8 11.c5 Be6 12.Nd2 Nc8 13.Bc4 Bxc4 14.Nxc4 b5 15.Ne3 Nxd6 16.cxd6 Nd7 17.a4 a6 18.0–0 0–0 19.Qc2 Qb6 20.b4 Kh8 21.Rfd1 f5? 22.exf5! gxf5 23.Nxf5 Rf7 23...a5 would benefit White, e.g., 24.bxa5 Rxa5 25.axb5 Rxa1 26.Rxa1 cxb5 27.Nd5 24.Nxg7 Rxg7 25.Ne4 Rag8 26.g3 Rg4 27.Nc5 Nxc5 28.bxc5 Qd8 29.axb5 axb5 30.Ra7! Rc4 31.Qxh7#!

Catching Black flatfooted. 1–0

The most impressive performance, however, was that of van der Wiel, whose current Elo rating, 2490, is below the standard set for grandmasters, which is 2500.

But the former Dutch champion showed that he still had what it takes to finish among the winners in a tough competition like the Noteboom Memorial, which attracted 144 players from all over Europe and as far as China.
Li was the only Asian among the winners.

J. van der Wiel (2490) – B. Friesen (2135)
Rd 2, French Tarrasch (C05)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ndf3 Qb6 8.a3 Be7 9.b4 cxd4 10.cxd4 f6 11.Bd3 0–0 11...Nxd4? is a blank shot, says Fritz: 12.Nxd4 fxe5 13.fxe5 Nxe5 14.Bb5+ Bd7 15.Qh5+ Ng6 16.Bxd7+ Kxd7 17.Be3, and White has the edge 12.Bb2 Rf7 13.h4 If 13.Ne2 a6 fxe5 13...Nf8 14.Ne2 helps White 14.fxe5 Opening the f-file to get a lot of play 14...Nf8 15.Qd2 Kh8 16.Ng5 Bxg5 17.hxg5 g6 18.Nf3 Bd7 19.Rh4 Ne7 20.Rf4 Rxf4 21.Qxf4 Nf5 22.Rc1 Qd8 23.Kd2 a5 23...a6!? is an interesting idea, says Fritz 24.Bc3 b6 25.g4 Ng7 26.bxa5 bxa5 27.Qf6 Qe8 28.Rb1 Bc6 29.Nh4 Kg8 30.Qf4 Qe7 31.Qf6 Qe8 Better than 31...Qxa3 32.Ra1 Qb3 33.Rf1, and White has a distinct advantage 32.Ke3 If 32.Ke1 Ra7 33.Qf4 Qe7 Nd7 33.Qf2 Qe7 34.Nf3 Qd8 34...Rf8 is playable, e.g., 35.Qe1 (if 35.Bxa5 Nxe5 36.Nxe5 Qxg5+ 37.Ke2 Rxf2+ 38.Kxf2 Qf4+ 39.Ke2 Qxd4 40.Nxc6 Qxg4+ 41.Kf2 Nh5 42.Rb8+ Kg7 43.Rb7+ Kh6 44.Bd2+ Nf4!) Qxa3 36.Ra1, and the balance is restored 35.Qd2 Nb8 Fritz cites 35...Ba4 as a l viable alternative 36.Bxa5 Qxa5 37.Rxb8+!

A fitting end to a beautiful game, says Fritz.
37...Kf7 Not 37...Rxb8 because of 38.Qxa5 38.Qxa5 Rxa5 39.Rb3 Ra7 40.Ng1 Ba4 41.Rb1 Ke7 42.Ne2 Rc7 If 42...Bd7 43.Ra1 Bc8! 43.Rh1 Kd8 43...Kf8 will be good for White: 44.Rxh7 Nf5+ 45.gxf5 Rxh7 46.fxe6 Rh3+ 47.Kd2! 44.Nf4 Be8 45.Kd2 Rf7 46.Ne2! Better than 46.Rxh7?!, e.g., 46...Rxf4 47.Rxg7 Rxd4! 1–0
John van der Wiel soared to second place on the back of his two straight wins in the final rounds—a 34-move Sicilian duel with White against a low-rated player in the penultimate fifth and a marathon win with Black in the final canto.

J. van der Wiel (2490) – S. Plukkel (2196)
Rd 5, Classical Sicilian (B58)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nf3 h6 8.0–0 Be7 9.Re1 0–0 10.h3 If 10.Bc4 Bg4! Be6 Black has equalized11.Bf1 Rc8 12.Nd5 Na5 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7 14.b3 Qc7 15.c4 Qc6 16.Qe2 b6 17.Ba3 Nb7 18.Rad1 Nc5 19.Nd2 Qd7 20.Qe3 Nh5 21.Nb1 Nf4 22.Nc3 Qe7 23.Rd2 Rc6 24.Kh2 f5 Fritz suggests 24...Rd8!? as a viable option 25.g3 fxe4 25...Ng6!? 26.exf5 Bxf5 would reduce White’s advantage 26.Bxc5 Rxc5 27.Nxe4 Rc7 27...Ng6 28.Nxc5 bxc5 29.Qd3 gives White a big push 28.gxf4 Rxf4 28...exf4 29.Qf3 allows White to rise further 29.Nxd6 Qh4 29...Rf6 does not win a prize. Fritz notes: 30.Qxe5 Rd7 31.c5!, and White surges ahead 30.Qg3 Qh5 31.Be2 Rxf2+ 32.Qxf2 Qxh3+ 33.Kg1 Rc5 33...Bg4 may be tried, but it won’t cut down White’s lead 34.Rd3!

Black surrenders rather than face mate, e.g., 34…Rc6 35.Rxh3 Rxd6 36.Rd3 Bd7 37.Rxd6 a5 38.Rxd7 g5 39.Qf7+ Kh8 40.Qf8#! 1–0

Although the Daniel Noteboom is not a major tournament even in The Netherlands, the results will affect the Elo ratings of the participants.

This is what we lack in the country today: private tournament organizers who are well-equipped and who hold annual tournaments that are recognized by Fide through the national governing body, the NCFP.

Perhaps, our tourism authorities in collaboration with the private sector should step in to help the NCFP develop the game of kings as a big tourism come-on for the Philippines.

Let’s make the right move by involving both the public and private sectors in the promotion of the royal game, which is, like ballet, a hallmark of civilization

PINOY GEMS WITH A HISTORY
Wesley as a role model

OUR young players are very fortunate indeed to have a role model in 14-year-old Grandmaster-elect Wesley So, who received his third award last night from the Philippine Sportswriters Association as the country’s most outstanding chess player.

It is my hope that other children will aspire to be like Wesley who is now the youngest grandmaster in the world and the seventh youngest person to have earned the highest title that the game can bestow—at the age of 14 years, one month and 28 days last year.

Wesley’s source of strength besides his enormous talent is his coolness under fire backed by alertness and boldness as his games would show.

Srdjan Sale (2453) - Wesley So (2254)
Rd 3, 8th Dubai Open 2006
Sicilian Defense (B20)

1.g3 c5 2.Bg2 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.e4 e6 6.d3 Nge7 7.c3 0–0 8.0–0 b6 9.a4 Ba6 10.Na3 Rc8 11.Re1 d6 12.Be3 e5 13.Nc4 Qc7 14.Qb3 Rcd8 15.Rad1 h6 16.Bc1 Kh7 17.Ne3 exf4 18.gxf4 f5 19.exf5 Nxf5 20.Nxf5 Rxf5 21.Nh4 Rf6 22.Qc2 Ne7 23.Qe2 Nf5 24.Nxf5 Rxf5 25.Be4 Rf6 26.Qg2 Bc8 27.Re3 Be6 28.Rg3 Qf7 Targeting the isolani on f4 29.Re1 Re8 30.Bd2 d5 31.Bf3 Qd7 32.b3 Bf7 33.Re5 Rd6 34.Rxe8 Qxe8 35.f5 Qe5 Not 35...Be5 36.fxg6+ Bxg6 37.Rg4! 36.Bg4 d4 37.c4 gxf5 38.Bxf5+ Qxf5 39.Rxg7+ Kh8 40.Rg3 Rg6 41.Qa8+ Kh7 42.Qxa7??

Finally, White overextends himself, possibly rattled by Wesley’s calm responses. Best was 42 Qf8!, Fritz has pointed out.

42...Rf6! Black resigns in the face of certain defeat: 43.Kh1 Qf1+ 44.Rg1 Qf3+ 45.Rg2 Rg6 46.Qxf7+ Qxf7 47.Rxg6 Qxg6! 0–1

W. So (2516) – M. Mahjoobzardast (2479)
Rd 4, Asian Championship, Cebu 2007
Pirc Defense, Austrian Attack (B09)

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Bd3 Na6 7.0–0 c5 8.d5 Nc7 9.Qe1 e6 10.dxe6 fxe6 11.e5 Nfd5 12.Ne4 Nxf4 13.Bxf4 Rxf4 14.Nxd6 Nd5 15.Qg3 Qf8 16.Rae1 Ne7?? 16...Bd7 was better but White would still have the edge 17.Ng5! Rxf1+ 17...Rf5 was more precise, but White would still surge ahead, e.g., 18.Bc4 Bxe5 19.Rxe5 Rxf1+ 20.Bxf1 18.Rxf1 Nf5 18...Qxf1+ is an improvement, but White would still win: position 19.Kxf1 Bd7 20.Nxh7 Bxe5 21.Qxe5 Kxh7 19.Bxf5 gxf5 20.Rxf5!!

Black sees the light—and resigns as there is no saving resource: 20…Bd7 21.Rxf8+! Rxf8 22.Qd3! 1–0

W. So (2526) – B. Nadera (2417)
Rd 7, Asean Masters, Tarakan 2008
French Defense (C17)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 Trying to unravel the pawn chain, says Fritz 5.a3 Ba5 6.b4 cxb4 7.Nb5 Nc6 8.axb4 Bxb4+ 9.c3 Be7 10.Ba3 a6 11.Bxe7 Ngxe7 12.Nd6+ Kf8 13.Bd3 Qc7 14.Qh5! Threatening mate via Qxf7 Nd8 Fritz gives numerous possibilities arising mainly from 14...Nf5 15.Bxf5 15.Ne2 Bd7 16.0–0 Better than 16.Bxh7 Ng8! Nc8 17.Nxc8 Signaling the start of an assault Rxc8 18.f4 18.Bxh7? loses to 18...Bb5! Qb6 19.Rab1 Fritz notes that 19.Bxh7? would be great except for 19...Bb5 20.Rfb1 Qc6 21.Rxb5 Qxb5, and Black surges ahead Qa7 20.Kh1 Better than 20.Bxh7 Ke8 b5 21.f5 Not 21.Bxh7 f5 22.exf6 Be8! exf5 22.Bxf5 Rc6 Fritz suggests 22…Kg8!? 23.Nf4 Not 23.Bxh7? Ke8 24.e6 Rxe6, and Black leads Rxc3? Best was 23...Bxf5, e.g., 24.Qxf5 Ke8 25.Nxd5 h5 24.e6!

Demolishing the pawn shield with a powerful wedge.

24...Bc6 25.Rbe1 Qxd4 Fritz gives this mating line: 25...Qe7 26.exf7 Nxf7 27.Bxh7 Ke8 28.Rxe7+ Kxe7 29.Re1+ Kd8 30.Qxf7 Kc8 31.Qa7 Bd7 32.Nxd5 Be6 33.Qxa6+ Kb8 34.Qb6+ Kc8 35.Qxe6+ Kb7 36.Qb6+ Ka8 37.Ra1+ Ra3 38.Rxa3#! 26.e7+! Ke8 27.exd8=N+! Kxd8 28.Qxf7 Qf6 29.Ne6+! The end: 29…Qxe6 30.Rxe6 Bd7 31.Rd6 Rc7 32.Bxd7 Rc6 33.Bxc6+ Kc8 34.Qb7#! 1–0

Indeed, it is a tribute to his upbringing that Wesley has remained modest and even shy in public. A scholar in school, he shows no arrogance and is leading a very normal life despite all the accolades heaped on him for his exploits on the 64-square board.

There is no doubt about it: he is the best chess prodigy the country has yet produced.

MY FAVORITES
Aronian ‘arrives’ at last

ARMENIAN superstar Levon Aronian seems to have “arrived” at last by winning one of the world’s toughest tournaments—the main event of the Corus Super held at Wijk aan Zee last month—along with Norwegian prodigy Magnus Carlsen, 17.

Unless the 25-year-old Armenian hero fails to perform well in events he will enter in the near future, it is likely that his rating will make a quantum leap to push him up among the world’s 10 strongest players. This is because in Wijk aan Zee most of the world‘s top 10 players had also competed—and all finished behind Aronian and Carlsen, who is only 17. The two tied for first to second with 8.0 points from 13games.

Reigning world champion Viswanathan Anand finished just half a point behind them, but former world champions Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov trailed far behind at eight and ninth places with 6.5 and 6.0 points, respectively.

At any rate, Aronian proved to be more consistent than most of the titans. Whether or not this indicates a higher degree of maturity and that he could well be a strong contender for the world crown in the next cycle, only time will tell.

Let his games show his progress as a player over the past two years.

L. Aronian (2741) – A. Morozevich (2747)
Rd 1, Tal Memorial. Moscow 2006
Queen’s Gambit Accepted, Classical main line (D27)

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 a6 5.a4 Nf6 6.Bxc4 c5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Rd1 Qc7 10.dxc5 0–0 11.b3 e5 12.h3 e4 13.Nd4 Ne5 14.b4 b6 15.Nd2 bxc5 16.bxc5 Bxc5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 17...Nxc4? won't work, e.g., 18.Qxc4 Bd6 19.Qxc7 Bxc7 20.Rac1! 18.Rxa3 Ng6 19.Nf1 Qc5 20.Rc3 Qg5 21.Ng3 h5 22.Kh1 Nh4 23.Qc2 Nxg2 Black has equalized 24.Kxg2 h4 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7 26.Rc5 Bxh3+ 27.Kxh3 Qg4+ 28.Kg2 hxg3? 28...Rfc8 was best, e.g., 29.Rc7+ Rxc7 30.Qxc7+ Kg6! 29.f3 Not 29.fxg3 Rh8 30.Qb3+ Kg6, with equality exf3+ 30.Nxf3 Kg8 31.Qa2+ Kh8 Not 31...Rf7 because of 32.Qxf7+! 32.Rc4 Qf5 33.Rf4 Qh7 34.Rh4 Nh5 35.Rd5! Threatening 36.Rdxh5 Qxh5 37.Rxh5#! Rf5 36.e4 Nf4+ 37.Kxg3 Rh5 38.Rxf4 Rh3+ 39.Kg4 Re8 40.Rdf5 40.Qf2 seems even better, says Fritz Rg8 41.Qxg8+!

The killing blow.

41...Qxg8 42.Rf8 Black resigns although White missed the more decisive 42.Kxh3! 1–0
M. Carlsen (2693) – L. Aronian (2759)
Fide Candidates, Elista 2007
Closed Ruy Lopez (C84)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a4 Rb8 9.axb5 axb5 10.Nc3 0–0 11.h3 Nb4 Equalizing 12.Ne2 c5 13.Ng3 Be6 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.c3 Nc6 16.Re1 Qd7 17.d4 exd4 18.cxd4 c4 19.Bg5 h6 20.d5 exd5 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Qxd5+ Rf7 23.Qd2 Ne5 24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Ne2 Rbf8 26.Rf1 26.f3 Qc6 leads to a balanced position Rf3 27.Ra3 27.Qd5+!? should be investigated more closely, says Fritz Rxa3³ 28.bxa3 Qc6 29.Nd4 Bxd4 30.Qxd4 Ra8 31.Ra1 c3!

Black surges ahead.

32.Qb4 Qc5 33.Qb3+ Kh8 34.Ra2 If 34.Kf1 b4!, and Black seizes the initiative: 35.a4 Rc8! Ra4 35.Re2? Rxa3 36.Qd1 Ra8! 0–1

L. Aronian – V. Anand
Rd. 5 Linares-Morelia 2007
Queen’s Gambit Accepted (D23)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qc2 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bf5 6.g3 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e6 8.Bg2 Be7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Re1 Ne4 11.Qb3 Qb6 12.Nh4 Bxh4 13.gxh4 Nef6 14.e4 Bg6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Bf4 Rfe8 17.Rad1 b5 18.Bd6 e5 19.d5 Nh5 20.Bf1 f6 Missing 20...Nf4 21.f3, with equal chances 21.b3 Nf4 22.a4 bxa4 23.bxa4 Bf7 24.Rb1 Ra7 25.Red1 Rc8 26.Ne2 Nxe2+ 27.Bxe2 cxd5 28.exd5 Nf8 29.Bb5! Raa8 30.Be7 Ng6 31.d6! Nxe7 32.Bd7 Nc6 33.Rxb7 Nd4! 34.Bxc8 Rxc8 35.Rdb1 Rf8 36.Rb8 36.d7 Be6 37.R1b6 Nf3+ 38.Kh1!, would have given White the edge Be8 Missing 36...Nf3+!, e.g., 37.Kg2 Nxh4+ 38.Kh3 Ng6!, with equality 37.a5 Nf3+ 38.Kf1 Nd2+ 39.Ke1 Nxb1 40.a6 Bc6 41.a7 Threatening d7 Kf7 42.d7 Ke7 43.Rxf8!

Threatening to queen either pawn for a mating attack.j.

43…Kxd7 Not 43…Kxf8 because of 44.d8=Q+! 44.a8=Q! Bxa8 45.Rxa8 h5 46.Ra7+ Ke6 47.Rxg7 Kf5?? 48.Rg3! 1–0

The way I see it, Aronian is one of the potential world champions and if his progress continues, he will likely be a strong contender for the title in a year or two.

GAMES OF GIFTED KIDS
Levon world champ at nine

VERY few world youth champions have worn the crown as adults. This seems to have been the trend since world youth titles—age-group and junior (Under-20)—were created by Fide.

Only four men’s world junior champions have gone on to capture the adult title since the world junior throne was created in 1981. They were Boris Spassky (1955 Antwerp), Anatoly Karpov (1959 Stockholm), Garry Kasparov (1980 Dortmund), and the current champion, Viswanathan Anand (1987 Baguio).

I am not aware of any world age-group champions who have become adult world champions except for Ruslan Ponomariov, who won the under-18 crown in 1996 when he was only 13, Veselin Topalov, who became under-14 champion in 1989, and Vladimir Kramnik, who was under-18 champion in 1991.

Ponomariov became Fide world champion at 18, the youngest in the history of the game, in 2002.

Kramnik became classical world champion in 2000 when he beat Kasparov in London. But this was not recognized by Fide until 2005 under the Prague Agreement of 2004.

Topalov, on the other hand, became Fide world champion in 2005 when he topped the world championship tournament organized in Argentina.

In September 2006, Topalov lost the crown to Kramnik in a reunification match organized by Fide in Elista, capital of the Russian republic of Kalmykia.

We come now to Levon Aronian, who was world under-12 champion at the age of nine in 1994, finishing ahead of such would-be titans as future world champion Ruslan Ponomariov, Alexander Grischuk and Etienne Bacrot.

Will Aronian (born on October 6, 1892 in Armenia) make it to the top as an adult? He will be 26, said to be the age when one’s mental powers are supposed to be at their peak, come October 6.

At the age of 10, Levon produced the following gem: .

L. Aronian – S. Munizaba
Rd 1World U12 Ch, Bratislava 1993
Closed Sicilian (B23)

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 d6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bc4 Nf6 6.d3 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Qe1 a6 9.a4 Qc7 10.Bd2 Rd8 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 Nd5 13.Qg3 Nd4 Best was 13...Nxc3, e.g., 14.Bxc3 Na5! 4.Nxd4 Gaining a big advantage Nxc3 15.bxc3 Better than 15.Bxc3 cxd4 16.Bd2 and White has the edge cxd4 16.cxd4 Rxd4 17.Qf2! Threatening 18.Qxf7+! Kh8 19.Qf8+!! Bxf8 20.Rxf8#! Bf8? 17...Bc5 was best 18.Ba5!! A sacrifice to be proud of, says Fritz, noting that 18.Qxd4 was clearly inferior, e.g., 18...Bc5 19.Be3 Bxd4 20.Bxd4 Bd7! 18...Qd7 Not 18...Qxa5 19.Qxf7! 19.Bxe6!! Qxe6 If 19...fxe6 20.Qxf8#! 20.Qxd4 Bd7 21.Bb4 Bxb4 22.Qxb4 Bc6 23.Qf4 Rc8 24.c4 24.Rf2 would make it even easier for White, Fritz notes Qg6 If 24...Rd8 25.Qg3! 25.Qg3 25.Rf2 might be quicker Qe6 26.Rf6 Qe7 27.Raf1 Qc5+ 27...Be8 won’t alter the course of the game: 28.e6 fxe6 29.Rf8+ Qxf8 30.Rxf8+ Kxf8 31.Qf3+ Bf7 32.Qxb7, winning 28.Kh1 Be8 29.e6 fxe6 30.Qg5!!

A stunning offer of his queen to deflect its counterpart from the a3-f8 diagonal.
30...Qb4 Of course not 30...Qxg5 because of 31.Rf8#! 31.Qa5 Qa3 Not 31...Qxa5?? 32.Rf8#! 32.Rf8+ Qxf8 33.Rxf8+ Kxf8 34.Qb4+ Kg8 35.Qxb7 Rd8 36.Qb6 Rxd3 37.Qxe6+ Kf8 38.Qf5+! It’s all over and Black toppled his king. 1–0

It seems to me that Aronian is slowly but surely getting back his childhood penchant for brilliant combinations. If he succeeds in reviving his sparkling style backed by a more mature approach as he acquires greater experience, I won’t be surprised to see him come out very much stronger, even to the point of near-invincibility.

As Karpov has pointed out, 26 seems to be the age when one takes full command of his intellectual powers.

That should make Aronian a very dangerous adversary indeed for anyone good enough to cross wits with him. Will he succeed in his march towards the world throne? Again, only time will tell.

CHESS MAGIC
‘The Black Pearls of Levon’

As far as Levon Aronian is concerned, Black is OK. This is shown by the fact that most of his brilliancies have been with Black.

I have found three of these, which I have dubbed “The Black Pearls of Levon.”

Ivan Sokolov (2676) – L. Aronian (2756)
37th Chess Olympiad, Turin 2006
Nimzo-Indian, Classical Variation (E35)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 c5 7.dxc5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10.Bxb8 Qf6 10...Bxc3+!? 11.bxc3 Rxb8 12.Qa4+ Bd7 is also playable 11.Bg3 Nxc3 12.a3 Bf5 13.Qd2 Ba5 14.b4?? 14.e3 is better Ne4 15.Qc1 Rc8 16.Ra2 Not 16.Bd6 Nxd6 17.Qe3+ Ne4 18.Rd1 Rxc5! Rxc5 17.Qa1 Qc6!!

18.Qe5+ Kd8 18...Be6! leads to mate 19.Qxh8+ Kd7 20.Qd8+ Kxd8 21.Bc7+ Kc8 22.Rc2 Rxc2 23.e3 Qc3+ 24.Kd1 Nxf2#! 19.Qxh8+ 19.Rd2 also leads to Black’s winning advantage, e.g., 19…Re8 20.Qb2 Nxd2 21.Bc7+ Kxc7 Kd7! Black resigns, because this also leads to mate: 20.Qd8+ Kxd8 21.Bc7+ Qxc7 22.e3 Rc1+ 23.Ke2 Nc3+ 24.Kf3 g4#! 0–1

Peter Leko – L. Aronian
Linares 2006
Ruy Lopez, Anti-Marshall Systems (C88)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.a4 b4 9.d3 d6 10.a5 Be6 11.Nbd2 Qc8 12.Nc4 Rb8 13.Bg5 Kh8 14.h3 Ng8 15.c3 bxc3 Black gets a strong initiative 16.bxc3 Opening the b-file gets Black a lot of play f5 17.Ba4 17.exf5 Bxf5 18.Ne3 Be6 lets Black equalize fxe4 18.Bxc6 exf3 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 20.Bxf3 Ng6 21.Bg4 Fritz suggests 21.Nd2 Nf4 22.Ra2 Qb7 Threatening …Qxg2#! 23.Bf3 Qb3 24.Rc2 Nxd3!

Surprise, surprise! A deflection sacrifice.

25.Qxd3 Qxc4 26.Qxc4 Bxc4 27.Bc6 Rb3 28.g3 g5 29.Re3 Ra3 30.Be4 Rxa5 31.g4 Bd5 32.f3 Bxe4 33.fxe4 Ra1+ 34.Kg2 Rff1 35.Ree2 Rg1+ 36.Kh2 Rh1+ 37.Kg3 Rag1+ 38.Rg2 Re1 39.Rgf2 Re3+ 40.Kg2 Rexh3! White resigns in the face of certain defeat. 0–1

Etienne Bacrot – L. Aronian
Linares 2006
Nimzo-Indian (E20)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.g3 Ne4 6.Qd3 Qa5 7.Qxe4 Bxc3+ 8.Bd2 Bxd2+ 9.Nxd2 Nc6 10.dxc5 b6 11.Bg2 Bb7 12.Qf4 bxc5 13.Qd6 Qb6 14.Ne4 Nd4 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Nd6+ Ke7 17.Bxb7 Nc2+ 18.Kd2 Nxa1 19.Nxf7! Better than 19.Rxa1 Rab8 20.Nc8+ Kd8, with equality Rxa2 If 19...Kxf7 20.Bbxa8, with equal chances 20.Nxh8 Rxb2+ 21.Kd3 Rb3+ 22.Ke4 Nc2 23.e3 23.Rc1! Na3 24.Ba6 gives White the edge b5! 24.Kf4 bxc4 25.Be4 Nb4 26.Bxh7 Nd3+ 27.Kg5 Nxf2 28.Rf1 Rb2 29.h4 d5 30.Ra1 Kd7 31.Nf7 c3 32.Kg6 Ng4 33.Rg1 33.Kxg7 Nxe3 34.h5 Rg2 Re2 33...Nxe3 34.Kxg7 Rf2 35.Ra1 34.Kxg7 Rxe3 35.h5 d4 36.h6 c4? 37.Bc2 Nxh6± 38.Nxh6 d3 39.Ba4+ Kd6 40.g4 Kc5 41.g5 Kb4 42.Ng4 Re4 43.Nf6 Re5 44.Bd1?? Missing 44.g6 Kxa4 45.Kf7!, with equality d2! Black now has real winning chances 45.g6 Re1 46.Kf7 Rxg1 47.g7 Ka3 48.Bg4 Rxg4!

The game’s highest point: eliminating the defender.

49.Nxg4 d1Q 50.g8Q Qd7+ Best was 50...Qf3+! 51.Nf6 c2 52.Qg1! 51.Kf6 Qd4+ 52.Kxe6 c2 53.Qa8+ Kb2 54.Qb8+ [Kc1 55.Qg8 Kd1! The clincher: 56.Qg5 c1=Q! 0–1

It’s truly magical, each of these three gems by one of the best magicians from the current crop.

Pure Black Magic!

BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (1)
Chekhover Variation

TODAY is the death anniversary of the Leningrad International Master Vitaly Chekhover. He was born on 22 December 1908 in St. Petersburg, Russia and died 11 February 1995.

Chekhover was a pianist by profession and also quite a good singer and composer— usually singing his compositions to other players between rounds. Notwithstanding his amateur chess status, he had quite a reputation as an attacker. Kotov quoted him as claiming that when it was his turn to move he started by trying to figure out which piece he could put en prise. “If he couldn’t see a way of losing his queen or his rook he would go from there and only when he could see no advantageous way of giving up material did he start examining quiet moves,” Kotov wrote.

Chekhover was Leningrad Champion in 1937 (jointly) and 1949. During his youth Chekhover was one of the students of the great Russian master and teacher Peter Romanovsky. Amongst his “classmates” were Grigory Ravinsky, Georgy Lisitsin (yup, Mr. Lisitsin Gambit himself) and Pavel Ostrovsky (a tragic story – he simultaneously attended the Leningrad Conservatory and the physics-mathematics department of Leningrad University. Great success was predicted for Ostrovsky in both math and music and he was soon a master and considered on a par with Botvinnik. However, in 1929, he drowned while swimming near Krestovsky Island. The chess authorities realized their big loss and buried him at Novodevishy Monastery next to the grave of Chigorin).

He was in the original list of International Masters when the World Chess Federation (Fide) formalized the title in 1950.

The reason why IM Vitaly Chekhover is so close to my heart is because he was the one who popularized the Chekhover Variation of the Sicilian – 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4.

Many many years ago I suffered a horrible drubbing on the Black side of the Sicilian in the 1974 Xavier School Championship:

Yap, Edward L - Ang, Roberto Pe [B53]
Xavier Ch 73-74 Greenhills, 1974

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.0–0–0 Be7 10.Rhe1 0–0 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qh4 Qc7 13.Nxe5 Nd5 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Rd7 Bxd7 16.Qxe7 Rad8 17.Re3 Qc8 18.Ne4 Ba4 19.Rc3 Qb8 20.Nf6+ Kh8 21.Rh3 h6 22.Ng6+ fxg6 23.Rxh6+ gxh6 24.Qh7# 1–0

The way I lost it made a great impression – Black seemed to be maneuvering his way through a lot of tactics while White simply played natural moves. In the early 90s the Chess Center for Asia invited me to contribute a few articles to “Chess Asia”, and naturally I wrote about this secret weapon. Apparently the theory was quite well-received. Several years later GM Mark Paragua told me that he studied the article several times and in fact used my recommendations in international competitions.

This variation had its devotees and pretty soon Black was giving as good as it got. Here is a particularly impressive game by the greatest player in chess history:

Svidler, Peter (2713) - Kasparov, Garry (2812) [B53]
XVI Ciudad de Linares (8), 02.03.1999

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.0–0–0 Be7 10.Rhe1 0–0 11.Kb1 h6 12.Bh4 Re8!?

This is actually a pawn sacrifice. You will see it later.

13.Bg3 d5! 14.e5 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Qxd8 Rexd8 17.Nd4 Be8!
This game is a masterful demonstration of the power of the two bishops.

18.c3 Rac8 19.Kc2 b5 20.Rxe4 b4 21.Re3 a5 22.Ne2 Bc6 23.f3 Rxd1 24.Kxd1 Bc5 25.Rd3?
[25.Nd4 is probably better]
25...Bb5 26.Rd2 Be3 27.Rd6
[27.Rc2 Bd3 traps the rook]

27...bxc3 28.Nxc3 Bf1 29.Bh4 g5! 30.Be1 Bxg2 31.Ke2 Bf4 32.Bg3 Bc1 33.Na4 h5!
[33...Rc2+ wins a pawn, but prematurely releases the pressure. White gets drawing chances]
34.Rd1 h4 35.Be1 Bf4
The win is pretty straightforward now. Black will capture the h2-pawn and queen his own h-pawn.
36.Bc3 Kg7 37.Nb6 Rh8 38.Kf2 h3 39.Bd2 Bxh2 40.Nd7 Kg6 41.Be3 g4! 42.fxg4 Bc6 0–1

This variation up to now is still dangerous for the unprepared. Take a look at this brilliancy-prize winning game by the grizzled veteran Evgeni Vasiukov (historically, Pinoys remember him as the winner of the first super-tournament organized in the Philippines in 1973).

Vasiukov, Evgeni (2524) - Van Wely, Loek (2697) [B53]
Moscow Aeroflot Open Moscow (1), 05.02.2002

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.0–0–0 Be7 10.Rhe1 0–0 11.Kb1 Qa5 12.Qd2 Qa6 13.Nd4 Rfc8 14.f4 h6 15.h4
[15.Bh4? Nxe4!]
15...Qc4 16.g4 Kf8 17.f5! hxg5

Alarm bells in his head were probably warning the Dutchman about taking this bishop, but he probably couldn't see a direct refutation and rationalized that if he was going to be attacked then he might as well be a piece up for his troubles.
18.hxg5 Nd7 19.fxe6 Ne5 20.Rh1! fxe6 21.b3! Qb4 22.Rh8+ Kf7 23.Qf4+ Bf6 24.Rh7!
The threat is Qxf6+
24...Kg8 25.gxf6! Kxh7 26.Qg5! Rc7
27.Nxe6! Rac8 28.fxg7 Kg8 29.Rh1 Bxe4 30.Rh8+ Kf7 31.Nxc7 Qxc3 32.g8Q+ 1–0

Lately the Lithuanian GM Eduardas Rozentalis has taken up the Chekhover with very impressive results. Rather than go for a direct attack on the enemy king, he would play positionally along the c-file and d-file.

Rozentalis, Eduardas (2645) - Rausis, Igors (2490) [B53]
Hastings (8), 06.01.1998

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.c4 Nf6 8.Nc3 g6 9.0–0 Bg7 10.Qd3 0–0 11.Nd4
We have something similar to the hedgehog but with one set of pieces exchanged off, which is in White's favor because Black will miss his knight more than White his bishop. White only has a very slight plus but he has a space advantage and very little losing chances.
11...Qb6 12.Rd1 Ng4 13.Qd2 e6?!
Typical hedgehog move, but it weakens the d6 pawn.
14.b3 Nf6 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.f3 b5 17.cxb5 Qc5+ 18.Qe3
Forced. If 18.Kh1 Ng4! 19.fxg4 Bxc3 20.Ba3 Qe5 (20...Qxa3? 21.Qxc3) 21.Bxd6 Qh8 22.Qc1 Bxa1 23.Qxa1 (23.Bxf8?? Bb2) 23...Qxa1 24.Rxa1 Rfc8 Black is at least equal.
18...Rfc8 19.Qxc5 Rxc5 20.Bb2 Ne8 21.Rac1 Bh6 22.Rb1 Bg7 23.Na4 Rxb5 24.Ba3 Bf8 25.Rbc1 f5 26.Rc6 Be7 27.Nb2 Rb6 28.Rc2 Kf7 29.Nc4 Rc6 30.Rcd2 Rd8 31.Bb4 Kf8 32.a3 Ra6 33.g4! fxe4 34.fxe4 Kg7 35.Rd3
[35.e5 Bg5]
35...Rc6?
[35...Rd7]
36.e5 Rd7 37.exd6 Bf6 38.g5 1–0
Quite a smooth victory, right? The Chekhover is still alive!

Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Monday, February 11, 2008.


3 Vietnamese vie in ‘First Saturday’

THREE Vietnamese players competed in Hungary’s famous monthly training tournament known as “First Saturday.”

Fide Master Duo The Anh topped the seven-round tournament held from February 2 to 12 while two others, IMs Nguyen Huynh Minh H and Bui Vinh, finished third and ninth in another seven-rounder held from February 2 to 14.

BOBBY ANG’S BUSINESSWORLD COLUMN, CHESS PIECE (2)
J’Adoubovic

HAVE you ever heard of GM Milan Matulovic? He was, together with Grandmasters Svetozar Gligoric and Borislav Ivkov, the Big Three of Yugoslavia in the 60s and 70s, when the Yugoslavian school of chess was acknowledged as perhaps the second or third best in the world.

Unfortunately, GM Matulovic has always been a bit controversial. His nickname is “J’adoubovic”, from the root “j’adoube”, which is French for “I adjust” pieces on the chessboard.

During the Sousse Interzonal in 1967, where every half point was worth its weight in gold, Matulovic hung a piece against the Hungarian Istvan Bilek and then, almost immediately realizing his blunder, took back his move and tried to justify it by saving "j'adoube". This is highway robbery and Bilek complained to him, complained to the arbiter, but the move was allowed to stand. This incident earned Matulovic a special place in chess hell as well as the nickname "J'adoubovic."

His most notorious transgression, though, was committed during the 1970 Palma de Mallorca Interzonal. In the final round 6 players had already qualified for the Candidates’ matches: Bobby Fischer, Robert Huebner, Efim Geller, Bent Larsen, and the seeded players Viktor Korchnoi and Tigran Petrosian. For the last two qualifying slots no fewer than eight players were in contention.

With Wolfgang Uhlmann (East Germany) and Mark Taimanov (USSR), both going into the final round with 13/22, were Svetozar Gligoric (Yugoslavia), Oscar Panno (Argentina), Lev Polugaevsky (USSR),€Lajos Portisch (Hungary), and Vassily Smyslov (USSR), half a point back with 12.5, and Henrique Mecking (Brazil), who had an outside chance with 12.0 pts.

In the final round both Uhlmann and Taimanov won to qualify, although in contrasting fashion. Uhlmann played well to defeat the Philippines’ Naranja:

Uhlmann, Wolfgang - Naranja, Renato [D90]
Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (23), 12.12.1970

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bd2 Nb6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 0–0 9.e3 Be6 10.Be2 N8d7 11.0–0 g5 12.Bg3 f5 13.d5 Bf7 14.Nd4 f4 15.exf4 gxf4 16.Bxf4 Nxd5 17.Bg3 e6 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Nf5 c6 20.Bd3 Be6 21.Bh4 Nf6 22.Nxg7 Kxg7 23.Re1 Qd7 24.Qf3 Ne4 25.Qe3 Rae8 26.f3 Nf6 27.Qxa7 d4 28.Rad1 Ra8 29.Qc5 Rxa2 30.Qe5 Bb3 31.Qg3+ Kh8 32.Qg6 Qg7 33.Bxf6 Rxf6 34.Re8+ Bg8 35.Rxg8+ 1–0

The other game, though, was an easy victory for Mark Taimanov over Milan Matulovic, and this was the subject of debate for many months after.

Notwithstanding the importance of the game, Matulovic showed up 15 minutes late and then blitzed off 40 moves (he was known as a slow player), after which time he already had a lost rook and pawn endgame.

According to witnesses, Matulovic spent most of the game wandering around the tournament hall, chatting with people, and he would browse through the tournament bulletin while it was his turn to move.

As a result of the win Taimanov went to the Candidates’ Matches, where he was whitewashed by Bobby Fischer 0-6 in the first round.

But let’s go back to Matulovic’s conduct – for someone who is throwing a game, why would he act like that? Why is he making it obvious to the audience that the outcome had been decided beforehand? Well that is an ego issue – what he is in effect saying is that the reason Taimanov won the game is because he allowed it – if they were playing a serious game things would have been different.

Sound ridiculous? No, definitely not. If we are going to lose in a fixed game then let it be known that I am really the strong player – I just need the money more.

Recently, in a victory bash held in honor of Jayson Gonzales who got his last GM norm, Hon. Pichay revealed that he has barred at least two leading players from all NCFP tournaments for alleged game-fixing at the Third Pichay Cup held early last month at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Parañaque City.

He did not name any names, though. My inside info tells me that the following two games were considered suspect.

Bancod, Ronald (2396) - Panopio, Rodolfo Jr (2212) [C00]
3rd Pichay Cup Intl Open Duty Free Fiesta Mall (7.22), 05.12.2007

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 d5 4.Nbd2 Nc6 5.g3 Nf6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Re1 Re8
[8...b5 9.e5 Nd7 10.Nf1 is book. The text 8...Re8 is a bit suspect – if White pushes e4-e5 then Black's rook will be completely misplaced and he has to bring it back to f8 for a possible counterstrike ...f7-f6 or f5]
9.c3 b5 10.e5 Nd7 11.Nf1
See my point? What is the rook doing on e8?
11...Bb7 12.h4 Nf8 13.h5 Rc8 14.N1h2 a5 15.Ng4 h6 16.Bf4 Nh7 17.Qd2 Bf8 18.Re2 b4 19.c4 Nd4 20.Nxd4 cxd4 21.cxd5 Bxd5 22.Be4 Bxe4 23.Rxe4 Qd5 24.Bxh6

Final position
1-0

Black resigns!? This is puzzling for the sacrifice appears to be unsound. After 24...gxh6 25.Nxh6+ Bxh6 26.Qxh6 Kh8 27.Rg4 Qxe5 Bancod has no follow-up and Black is simply a piece up. It would be interesting to ask Panopio what it was he saw that induced him to throw in the towel.

Causo, Deniel (2103) - Laylo, Darwin (2508) [B01]
3rd Pichay Cup Intl Open Duty Free Fiesta Mall (9.11), 07.12.2007

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bc4 Bg4 5.f3 Bf5 6.Nc3
No, there is nothing funny with the sequence of moves. The normal way is to play 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.f3 Bf5 5.Bc4. In this game White tried to confuse his opponent by injecting 3.Bb5+ (instead of 3.Nc3), but Laylo knew his theory (of course!) and after 3...Bd7 4.Bc4 Bg4 5.f3 Bf5 6.Nc3 we get exactly the same position as in the normal variation.
6...Nbd7
The Icelandic Gambit with 6...c6 7.dxc6 Nxc6 8.Nge2 Qb6 is very dangerous and in my opinion completely sound. Actually, GM Laylo plays this too, but probably did not see any reason why he has to sacrifice something against someone who he should be able to beat with normal means.
7.Nge2 Nb6 8.d3 Nbxd5 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 10.Ng3 Qd7
10...Bg6 is what most people will play without thinking, but then Black has to contend with 11.f4 e6 12.f5!? exf5 13.0–0 with a very uncomfortable position, and the worst part of it is that he cannot even keep the sacrificed pawn - it will fall sooner or later.
11.0–0 0–0–0 12.d4 h5 13.Bb3 h4 14.Ne4 e6 15.Qe2 Be7?!
Slow moves like this are out of place in the aggressive Scandinavian. Black is in danger of a pawn storm attack in the side where his king is castled. If he is not sure of how he wants to array his forces, then a good default move is ...Kb8 as he has to play it sooner or later anyway.
16.c4 Nb6 17.Be3 f6
Laylo wants to switch his queen over to the kingside via e8.
18.Rfd1 Qe8 19.a4 g5 20.Bf2 h3?
White is threatening to push his a-pawn down to a6, so perhaps the only way to continue resisting is 20...a6.
21.g4 Bg6 22.a5 Nd7 23.c5
White is winning – he will open up the vulnerable Black king position with a5-a6. Darwin cannot prevent it with 23...a6 because of 24.c6.
23...Nf8 24.a6 1–0
Black is staring at the possibility of 25.axb7+ Kxb7 26.Qa6+ Kb8 27.Qxa7+ followed by mate. He cannot defend against this with 24...Qc6 because 25.Nc3! forces through d4-d5 with a massacre coming up. So Darwin resigns.

Anybody can have an off day. Just because a GM loses to an untitled player is sufficient grounds to put him under suspicion? Anyway, take a look at the games and be the judge.

Reader comments and/or suggestions are urgently solicited. Email address is bangcpa@gmail.com.
This column was first published in BusinessWorld on Friday, February 15. 2008.

FROM MY SWIVEL CHAIR
Preparation is the key to victory

WE have done it again, sending our players to an important tournament without actually preparing them for it.

I am referring to the Aeroflot Open in Moscow, which is said to be one of the toughest in the world because of its very attractive prizes and the fact that it is being held in the heartland of the strongest chess-playing nation where players start training at a tender age.

First it was announced that two of our strongest players were going there, GM Mark Paragua, who fared very well in the first leg of the Asean Masters Circuit in the Indonesian city of Tarakan, and GM-elect Wesley So, the youngest Filipino ever to win the title and currently the youngest GM in the world.

For some reason, So was replaced by IM Julio Catalino Sadorra. I had no quarrel with that and said so publicly because I believe that Sadorra is one of our most promising players who also has earned one GM norm.

Then, at the 11th hour, we sent IM John Paul Gomez in place of Paragua. Ordinarily, I have no quarrel with that either. After all, Gomez used to outshine Paragua when they were both junior players.

But then, preparation is the key to victory and we all know that John Paul has given priority to his university education at La Salle and that he has not really been playing much in local and international chess over the past two years.

His going to Moscow to play in the Aeroflot Open at the last minute has jeopardized not only his education and consequently his future career, but also his chances of earning a GM norm.

Sending our players to a foreign land without preparation, a second or even just a modicum of training under a competent coach is like sending sheep to the slaughterhouse.

Only homework under the skillful guidance of a coach builds up self-confidence, which along with an iron will to win and a keenly competitive spirit is the most potent asset a player can have in facing his rivals.

I trust, however, that John Paul and Julio Catalino will be able to overcome such a handicap by relying on their great fighting spirit and their never-say-die attitude to carry on.

Heaven help us all.
—0—

JUST for the record, I’d like to let it be known that I have resigned as chairman of the management committee in charge of the QMC Chess Plaza for the sake of The Weekender. I felt that I could no longer do my work as committee chairman without hurting my newsletter.

After all, I launched The Weekender long before I became the plaza’s management committee chairman. I am sure that Gene Turqueza whom I have picked to replace me is in a position to do a better job in running the plaza and its club.

I must stress that my newsletter takes precedence over any other undertaking I have chosen to pursue as a retiree.

That’s how much I value The Weekender, which I hope will serve as a mouthpiece for all Filipino players here and abroad.

Even though I am its main writer, I consider this newsletter as a common effort, done in the spirit of voluntarism and out of sheer love for chess.

The Weekender
Quezon Memorial Circle
Quezon City
Manuel O. Benitez
Editor & Publisher
Alfredo V. Chay
Circulation Manager

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Hey! I didn't know my CAAP MATATAG batchmate Daisy Rivera is residing in Bacoor Cavite now. Hmm!